Method of singeing



June 14, 1932. w. w. KEMP METHOD OF SINGEING Original Filed May 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 14, 1932. w. w. KEMP METHOD OF SINGEING Original Filed May 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. ll aflace Kemp Patented June 14, 1932 UNETED STATES PATENT orrics;

WILLIAM VJALLACE KEMP, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR. TO THE C. M. KEMP MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARY LAND, A CORPORATION OF I IIIARYLAND Application filed May 10, 1930, Serial No. 451,374. Renewed May 7, 1932.

The present invention relates to a new and improved method of singeing, and more particularly to the singeing of textile materials, for which it is particularly designed, although the method may be adapted to singeing or treatment of other materials than that specifically shown and described.

In order that the method may be clear, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, apparatus by which the method may be practiced, but it is to be understood that this is illustrative and in no sense restrictive, as apparatus other than that here illustrated may be used for practicing the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l'is a diagrammatic view showing a material to be singed and the supporting rollers about which it is threaded in one application of the method.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the conventional apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View showing the threading of the material over its sup porting rollers and past the burner to effect singeing of the material on both sides.

Figure 4c is a diagrammatic view showing burners arranged on opposite sides of the fabric to efiect singeing of both sides without reversing the run of the material.

Figure 5 is a view of one form of the burner which may be used.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the burner shown in Figure 5.

It has been customary in the singeing art to pass the material, usually a textile fabric, through a flame, the speed of the fabric and the contact or proximity of flame being so regulated as to effect the desired singeing without injuring the fabric. Heret-ofore, as the art is now known to me, it has been customary to generate a flame from any suitable fuel delivered from suitable fuel nozzles and then pass the fabric or other material under treatment through the flame or in singeing proximity thereto, so that the singeing action takes place on the surface of the cloth against which the flame impinges.

In accordance with my invention and the method herein disclosed, the burning of the fuel and the singeing operation takes place numbers indicate like parts in the related yiews, and referring first to Figure 1, 10 lndicates any suitable nozzle having suitable fuel openings from which the combustible fuel issues. A convenient form of nozzle is the cylindrical one shown in the drawings,

and which comprises a tube section slitted at 11 to form fuel openings, and preferably the fuel will be delivered through the fuel pipe 12 which enters the cylindrical section 11, being disposed, as here shown, centrally thereof, with orifices 13 in the side of the fuel pipe 12 farthest removed from the openings 11 in pipe 10, so that the fuel issuing from the orifices 13 will be directed against the imperforate wall of burner pipe 10, and will then pass around pipe 10 and out through the slits 11 of the cylindrical burnersection or pipe 10.

The material to be treated, here shown conventionally as a web of textile material, will run past the burner 10, preferably in direct contact therewith, and substantially covering the burner openings 11, so that the fuel coming from the burner section under pressure will be forced through the fabric and when ignited upon the opposite side of the fabric will singe the upper surfaces.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the material to be singed may be returned past the flame and in such proximity thereto as to subject it to a second singeing on the same side, which may, in some instances,be desirable.

If desired, and as shown in Figure 3, the fabric may be singed upon both sides by this single flame by reversing it and bringing the fabric back over the flame so that the two runs of the fabric will be singed by the same flame on opposite sides.

Obviously, the method may be varied, if

desired, by providing a plurality of nozzles, as shown in Figure 4, above and below the material, the fabric being so disposed as to bear directly upon the nozzles with the flame burning on the opposite sides of the fabric.

It has been found that by adopting this method .and burning the fuel after it has passed through the fabric and on the side of the fabric opposite that side against which the fuel first impinges there is less disturbance of the flame and a more uniform singeing effect than has heretofore been obtained by passing the fabric through the extended flame and at a point or in a plane removed or spaced from the burner. Where the fabric moves at any considerable speed, there is always a following air film picked up by the moving web and air currents are set up which materially affect the flame and drag it along, so .as to interfere with the uniform singeing result desired.

The fuel used is preferably a self-sustaining air and gas mixture, or one which has a high rate of combustion so that the flame from this fuel will burn closely to the surface of the material. In fact, it has been found in practice, that the flame, seeking always the source of fuel supply, will hug the fabric and flow back into the interstices of the cloth so as to effect a very thorough singeing. The .singeing action can be very finely regulated by regulating the speed of travel of the web and the pressure of the combustible material at the nozzle, so that the singeing action can always be controlled. This regulation of speed of the web and pressure at the nozzle can, of course, be accomplished by (any of the well known expedients for such purposes.

Following the method herein disclosed, the fuel under pressure is forced through the interstices of the fabric, carrying with it any loose 'or foreign material which may be located in the fabric and the fuel being ignited on the outer side of the fabric, not only effects thorough singeing, but also consumes any loose material which may be blown out of the fabric by the fuel blast.

It will be understood in practicing the method that the rate of propagation of the flame is greater than the speed of the material being singed, so that the flame on the outer surface of the material under treatment tends to burn back against the material and into the interstices thereof. In effect, the material under treatment becomes a part of the burner, the singeing flame burning on the face of the material and down into the interstices of the material.

I claim:

1. The new and improved method of singeing, which consists in passing through the material to be singed a combustible fuel, and igniting and maintaining a singeing flame on the side of the material opposite to the side from which the fuel comes.

2. The new and improved method of singeing, which consists in passing the material to be singed across a fuel nozzle in such proximity thereto as to cause the combustible fuel to be passed through the material, and igniting and maintaining a singeing flame on the side of the material opposite to the side from which the fuel comes.

3. The new and improved method of singeing, which consists in passing the material to be singed across a combustible fuel burner in such proximity thereto as to prevent burning of the fuel at the contact point of the material and the nozzle, passing the combustible material through the material to be singed, and igniting and maintaining a singeing flame on the side of the material opposite to the side from which the fuel singed, and returning the re d material to the singeing flame to effect singeing of the opposite side thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM l/VALLACE KEMP. 

